Finally Feeling It.......

 I have been ready for fall....i.e. cooler weather, turning leaves, windows open, sweatshirt time.....ever since the issue of Texas Football hit the newsstands in July.  I like summer...sort of.  I like the laziness of it but I am old enough now to understand why seniors chose to move North in the summer.  Intense heat is no longer my friend.  I don't need to bake my body looking for that perfect tan ANYMORE.  I want to sit on the patio without needing to come in for a shower after five minutes.  I want a 76 degree day everyday and if you live in Texas those are pretty rare.

 BUT....this morning it happened.  The day was amazing.  I threw open the doors and inhaled fresh air that did not stifle me!!!  So it is my official proclamation of Fall.  It is that drag out the pumpkins and hang out the golden wreath kind of day....and so that is what I did.  

 It is that ...."forget the fact that my house is the scene of a looming episode of hoarders kind of mess"...but, let it go it for now type of day.  The cleaning I had so planned for the weekend can wait while I actually complete a table runner I found on Pinterest and stand back and admire my new look.  

I have been on an I love orange kick this summer so I can entertain this new color obsession with pumpkins and mums.  I can sit down and think...yes, that is good!!!

I don't want to throw anyone off with the closet picture that has absolutely nothing to do with the fall post but...speaking of color....I am not quite ready to put away the white pants.  I know that if you were socially correct you would have packed those up on Labor Day, but I have never been one to let Emily Post dictate what should be in my wardrobe.  I don't just have "one" pair held back for the days that are still warm.  All twelve pair are washed and ready to wear.   And I will wear until my grandaughter decides to tell me everyone else has move on into sweat suits and blue jeans...about December.

So, until the first snowfall, my white pants will stay right next to my flip flops.  I will probably hand out Halloween candy dressed in those same white pants and maybe throw on a orange shirt just to be festive...unless it is snowing.

So True......

I am celebrating today....but in an entirely different way.  It is another family birthday.  Thirty eight years ago today we welcomed our first son into the world.  We waited so long for him.  Years of infertility and the loss of two babies before he arrived made Matt's birthday even more special.

He was a gift...a gift from God.  That is what his name means and so appropriate for the child he was.

 THANKFUL

GRATEFUL

BLESSED

Yes, we were and still are.  That so many people still remember almost 11 years after his death amazes me.  What more could a parent ask for?

Matt knew joy....always.  

He lived life to the fullest...always.  

He pretty much had a permanent smile.  

Today I remember all of that because no matter how much I would like to wish his death away, it is not going to happen....so I accept it and I am thankful because of all the people in the world that God could have chosen to be his mom He picked me.  That alone is a gift.  

Happy Birthday Matt!

"Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the 

knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord"

2 Peter 1:2

Celebrating Again!.....

I am about a week late in reporting on this, but once again we gathered for a  family birthday celebration!

This time the guests of honor were Sara and Drew.  We always find ourselves doing joint dinners to remember the day of our children's birth.  In our infinite wisdom we decided it would be wise to have four children whose birthdays fell in a three week period.  Drew arrive at 11:35 pm on September 8th a mere 25 minutes before the day his only sister celebrates her birthday.  To be perfectly honest I do not know if it was all in the planning or just the joy of the holiday season 9 months earlier that led to the arrival of all the Shubzda children at this time of the year.  And since my birthday also falls in this three week period it is obvious that my parents were also joyful in December!

 PLEASE do not judge the quality of our birthday cake by it's appearance.  The frosting went on when there were way to many activities happening and it was one of my epic dessert fails!  But the party went on anyway!

 It seems that my grandchildren just automatically walk through the door now and break into their own version of "Happy Birthday to you" fully expecting that someone in he house is turning a year older!

Presents were opened and enjoyed....and in case this last photo leaves you with some questions just let my say that immediately after placing this bar-b-que glove on his hand Drew jumped up and broke into his own version of Michael Jackson's "THRILLER".  You just never know what to expect from him!!!

She's Off.....

With a huge smile and much enthusiasm she is off to conquer preschool!

Love this little girl!

Ready, Set, Go!!!!......

Okay sports fans...grab your cold beer, pull up a chair, a sofa, a big bean bag, or a spot on the floor...it is FOOTBALL SEASON!!!  I don't think there is anyone who waits for baseball season, or any other season like we all wait to watch kickoff of the first football game of the year.  I am a fan!  I can sit there with the best of them and tune in to those epic battles played out on the turf.  

I like it all.  College ball, well yes, it is my favorite.  I am totally impressed with my Red Raiders this year after watching their opening stand against SMU.  A true freshman walk on quarterback who is not even scholarshiped made an impressive start.  And, you've gotta love Coach Kingsbury coming home to his alma mater.  Only a Texas Tech graduate could fully appreciate and love Lubbock and the spirit of the town.

Spent Saturday switching channels so I could see the second half play of Johnny Manziel, aka Johnny Football.  I know he has done a lot for college ball.  Attention that could be focused elsewhere is directed toward the Aggies....waiting for him to make a mistake so they can crucify him.  I am not sure how I feel about him gracing the cover of every magazine I pick up but I know that when your 20 it is an enormous amount of pressure. "To him that much has been given, much is expected."  Bless him as he wades though this battle.

The Cowboys....oh, how I hope I can cheer for something worth watching this year.  I am ready to put on my Dez Bryant autographed visor and be proud of my home team.  However, I know the pitfalls of any serious smack talk until some statistics are in the books.  

And then....there is the food.  What is football without the good eats?!  If you don't have any new tailgating ideas just google PINTEREST...my go to place for everything in my life.  

So fans....get fired up.  Bring on the beer, the hot wings, get out your football paraphernalia and

order up the Hot Tamales...IT IS GAME TIME!